Off-Grid electricity for rural Nigeria takes off as EU, Germany provide £17.9m funding

The Federal Government, on Thursday, secured a significant partnership with the European Union and the German Government to provide £17.9m in funding for Nigeria’s off-grid electricity project.

This initiative, launched under the third phase of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP), aims to promote investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and rural electrification.

The NESP was commissioned in 2013 as a technical assistance programme co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Power.

Speaking, in Abuja on Thursday, at the launch and steering committee meeting of NESP III, the Head of Section Green and Digital Economy at the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Inga Stefanowicz, said achieving a cleaner future is the business of all stakeholders.

Stefanowicz said, “Achieving a cleaner future is the business of all stakeholders. The EU has not only continued to support the Nigerian government to achieve its energy security plans but also to achieve a sustainable energy future through the increase of renewables in its electricity mix.”

Read Also: Nigerian govt sets Nov deadline for Ondo section of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway

Stefanowicz emphasized the program’s impact, stating, “As we are launching this third phase, there is more for us ahead. 154,000 people will have new or improved access to electricity under this new phase. 30,000 people will get new access to LPG for cooking, for clean cooking. The installation of 8MW of additional renewable energy capacity is also planned.”

Johannes Lehne, Deputy Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to helping Nigeria achieve its energy transition targets.

“Technologies and investments for renewable energy and energy efficiency will be key for diversifying Nigeria’s energy mix and decarbonising the five critical sectors identified in the Energy Transition Plan.”

Lehne highlighted the financial commitment, “The third phase of NESP was commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development with €8.9m Euros in May this year. The EU has recently commissioned an additional €9m, which increases the total budget of the NESP programme to €17.9m. This shows Germany’s and its partners’ continued commitment to support Nigeria’s set targets in the Energy Transition Plan.”

Mahmuda Mamman, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Power, emphasized the project’s significance in addressing the electricity gap for Nigeria’s rural communities. “About 100 million people in Nigeria do not have access to electricity. Renewable energy is significant in addressing the challenges of providing electricity for the unserved rural communities in Nigeria.”

Duke Benjamin, Head of Programme at NESP, highlighted the project’s focus on providing electricity to rural communities not connected to the national grid.

“Phase three of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme is because of the successes recorded in Phases One and Two. Phases one and two have increased access to electricity supply in rural areas in Nigeria.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now